Milton State Park is an 82-acre island on the West Branch Susquehanna River, between the boroughs of Milton and West Milton. The northern half of the park has day use facilities and the southern half remains in a wooded state for hiking and nature study.

Picnicking: There are picnic tables, drinking water, charcoal grills and restrooms. Please dispose of charcoal in the proper facilities.

Recreation Fields: Soccer fields are popular attractions for local clubs and the public.

Boating: unlimited hp motors permitted
A boat launch is on the east side of the island. River elevations vary with the seasons and generally are not deep enough for large watercraft.

Motorboats must display a current boat registration. Non-powered boats must display one of the following: boat registration; launching permit or mooring permit from Pennsylvania State Parks, available at most state park offices; launching permit from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

The rich soil of the floodplain supports a diversity of vegetation. The southern part of the island is undeveloped and covered in a forest of predominantly silver maple, river birch and sycamore. The island is a rest area for migrating songbirds and waterfowl.

In 1762, Marcus Huling Jr. claimed the big island, which eventually came to be called Montgomery Island. Within a decade, he planted an apple orchard. At this time, this part of the state was claimed by Pennsylvania and Connecticut.

Eventually the land came to be controlled by the Straub Brothers, who in 1824 built a dam across part of the river and erected a sawmill and gristmill. The brothers won the contract to build a bridge across the river between the three islands.

The mills eventually became unprofitable and the island was only used as farmland. Floods continually washed away parts of the bridge, which were rebuilt. By the early 1900s, farming ceased and there were now two islands, one of the smaller islands having joined the big island, making it even larger. The island was subdivided to many owners and part became athletic fields. The Milton Rotary Club worked to consolidate the deeds to one title for Milton Borough, who then transferred the title to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1966.

The floodwaters of Hurricane Agnes completely covered the island in 1972. Federal relief money helped rebuild the facilities. In 1987, PA 624 was relocated across the island, providing a new boat launch and transferring the final piece of property to state park control.

Keep in Touch

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Volunteering

Like to spend time in the outdoors, meet friendly people and help make Pennsylvania State Parks great? Volunteering at a park might be for you.

Contact your local state park directly and ask for the Conservation Volunteer coordinator - you'll be hooked up with an interesting and appropriate project in Pennsylvania's natural resources.

Join a Friends Group

The Friends of Milton State Park is volunteer-operated and staffed group is dedicated to the betterment, preservation and enjoyment of Milton State Park. website

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation

Believing that each generation is responsible for leaving behind a better legacy of good conservation, the Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation (PPFF) was created in 1999 to give supporters and users of Pennsylvania's parks and forests a positive way to contribute to the conservation of our publicly-owned properties. The Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation welcomes the support of individuals and businesses who share a commitment to conserving, protecting, and enhancing the natural, scenic, and recreational areas of this commonwealth. www.paparksandforests.org

Education Programs

We love when young people ask us how to get involved!

DiscoverE has programs for young people ages 4 to 17, provided by Pennsylvania State Park educators. By combining recreation and education, we hope to motivate children to learn more and return often, leading to a lifetime of outdoor enjoyment and conservation leadership.

In Watershed Education, teachers and students assess water quality of a local stream on a quarterly basis and develop strategies to solve local water quality problems.

ECO Camp - Exploring Careers Outdoors - is a week-long residential camp for a cross-section of high school youth from across Pennsylvania, sponsored by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). Participate in action-packed, hands on activities and recreational adventures in Pennsylvania’s state parks and forests that expose youth to conservation, recreation and careers in natural resources. Learn how people make a living working in the outdoors.

iConservePA

Do you take conservation personally? iConservePA is a Web site managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources whose vision is to inspire citizens to value their natural resources, engage in conservation practices and experience the outdoors. Take conservation personally.

Come Work with Us

Pennsylvania State Parks and the Department of Conservation and Natrual Resources offer a wide range of civil service and non-civil service jobs, from foresters, to rangers, to engineers, to educators, to botanists and so much more. Learn what is currently available.

Tell us What You Think

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Milton State Park

Nearby Attractions

Information on nearby attractions is available from the Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau. www.visitcentralpa.org

Maps and Downloadables

Below are many of the maps and publications for this park. You can read them or download them and might need special software (all free) to view the publications.

You must have the free Adobe Reader to view the maps and brochures that are in pdf format (.pdf).

Alternate versions of the text of the brochures are in rich text and text formats. Click on the files to view them. To download (.rtf) files:
For Windows users, right click on the link then left click on "Save target as" to download the file to your computer. For Mac users, hold down the "Options" button and click on the link, then select "Save" to download the file to your computer.

Recreational Guide

Interactive GIS Map

The Interactive GIS Map uses Geographic Information Systems to create a map that does not need to be downloaded and features driving directions, searchable park amenities and customizable maps. Please note that the background maps are maintained by a variety of public sources and driving directions usually go to the nearest large road.

Access the park via PA 642 off PA 147 on the east, and from US 15 at West Milton.

GPS DD: Lat. 41.01793 Long. -76.86153

Driving Directions: The Interactive GIS Map has turn-by-turn driving directions to the park office from the Park Information Window. Please note that the background maps are maintained by a variety of public sources and driving directions usually go to the nearest large road.